Maynards is amping up its social media presence with a Facebook contest which allows users to create a confectionery version of their face for a chance to win $5,000 and their candy distributed across Canada.

The contest, with creative from Toronto’s The Hive in partnership with digital agency Rocket XL, media planning by Toronto’s Jungle Media and media buying from Starcom MediaVest, went live mid-July and has already garnered 500 entries. It’s backed by a mass media campaign specifically targeting Toronto with some outreach to Calgary and Vancouver.

Maynards brand director Mackenzie Davison says that the idea was in development for almost a year before coming to fruition.

The campaign, which runs until the contest closes at the end of September, includes an installation in Yonge-Dundas Square, digital vignettes via Facebook, OOH in its three target cities, digital touch-screens in malls, and 30-second TV spots airing around youth favourites, including Jersey Shore and Gossip Girl.

Maynards will decide the winner of the contest (based on how they meet the company’s “fun and juicy” standards) and announce it in mid-October. The confectionary company will begin work on a new campaign promoting the face-shaped candies, to be launched in 2012.